1. Gradle Dependency Resolution Failures

Understanding the Issue

Gradle fails to resolve dependencies, displaying errors such as "Could not resolve dependency" or "Failed to download artifact."

Root Causes

• Incorrect repository URLs in build.gradle.
• Internet connectivity issues or blocked domains.
• Dependency conflicts causing resolution failures.

Fix

Ensure repositories are correctly configured:

repositories {
    mavenCentral()
    google()
}

Check internet connectivity:

curl -I https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2/

Force dependency resolution by refreshing dependencies:

gradle --refresh-dependencies

2. Slow Gradle Build Performance

Understanding the Issue

Gradle builds take an excessive amount of time, affecting developer productivity.

Root Causes

• Unnecessary tasks running during the build.
• Gradle daemon not being used efficiently.
• Outdated dependencies slowing down compilation.

Fix

Enable Gradle build caching to improve performance:

gradle build --build-cache

Use the Gradle daemon for faster execution:

gradle --daemon

Analyze build performance using the Gradle profiler:

gradle --profile

3. Out-of-Memory Errors in Gradle

Understanding the Issue

Gradle builds fail due to memory exhaustion, displaying errors like "Java heap space" or "GC overhead limit exceeded."

Root Causes

• Insufficient JVM heap size allocated for Gradle.
• Large projects consuming excessive memory during compilation.
• High-resolution dependency graphs increasing memory usage.

Fix

Increase the Gradle JVM heap size:

export GRADLE_OPTS="-Xmx2048m -Dorg.gradle.daemon=true"

Optimize the dependency tree to reduce memory usage:

gradle dependencies --configuration compileClasspath

Enable parallel builds to distribute memory load:

gradle --parallel

4. Gradle Plugin Version Conflicts

Understanding the Issue

Builds fail due to plugin incompatibilities, showing errors related to version mismatches.

Root Causes

• Using incompatible Gradle plugin versions.
• Conflicts between plugins requiring different Gradle versions.
• Corrupt plugin cache affecting build execution.

Fix

Check installed plugin versions:

gradle dependencies --configuration plugins

Update Gradle plugins to compatible versions:

plugins {
    id "com.android.application" version "7.3.0" apply true
}

Clear the Gradle plugin cache:

rm -rf ~/.gradle/caches

5. Gradle Build Failures in CI/CD Pipelines

Understanding the Issue

Gradle builds work locally but fail in CI/CD environments such as GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or GitLab CI.

Root Causes

• Missing Gradle wrapper in the repository.
• Insufficient permissions to execute Gradle commands.
• Inconsistent Gradle versions between local and CI environments.

Fix

Ensure the Gradle wrapper is included in the repository:

git add gradlew gradlew.bat

Grant execute permissions to the Gradle wrapper:

chmod +x gradlew

Specify the correct Gradle version in CI configuration:

gradle wrapper --gradle-version 7.3

Conclusion

Gradle is a powerful build tool, but troubleshooting dependency resolution failures, slow builds, memory issues, plugin conflicts, and CI/CD failures is essential for smooth development. By optimizing Gradle settings, managing dependencies efficiently, and ensuring compatibility, developers can achieve faster and more reliable builds.

FAQs

1. Why is Gradle failing to resolve dependencies?

Check repository configurations, ensure network connectivity, and refresh dependencies.

2. How do I speed up Gradle builds?

Enable build caching, use the Gradle daemon, and analyze build performance with profiling.

3. What causes Gradle out-of-memory errors?

Insufficient JVM heap size, large dependency graphs, and memory-intensive tasks can cause memory issues.

4. How do I fix Gradle plugin conflicts?

Check plugin versions, update to compatible versions, and clear the Gradle cache if necessary.

5. Why does my Gradle build fail in CI/CD but work locally?

Ensure the Gradle wrapper is included, set correct permissions, and use consistent Gradle versions across environments.